


Can't handle the truth

by taralynden



Category: Transformers Generation One
Genre: Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-07-21
Updated: 2012-07-21
Packaged: 2017-11-10 09:26:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 923
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/464743
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/taralynden/pseuds/taralynden
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Red Alert and Prowl have a secret they simply can't afford to have shared. (Well, beyond Jazz who already knows...)</p>
            </blockquote>





	Can't handle the truth

**Author's Note:**

> The prompt was: "Jazz, Prowl, Red Alert, and how much they shelter their fellow Autobots on some days from reality." I'm not sure this was what was expected... ;)

Red Alert paced, trying not to panic. This was it. This was the end. And it was all his fault.

~Who saw you?~ Prowl asked over the comm channel, coolly professional as ever.

~Just Trailbreaker. He was alone. But by now he will have talked to others.~

~Calm down.~

~I need to return to my office. I need to see what he's doing. If he's telling others...~

~Stay right where you are.~ Prowl advised firmly.

Right where he was, was Prime's office. Not where he wanted to be if they were coming to get him.

How could he have been so stupid? He had known Prime was out and what he had planned would only take a few seconds, but why had he not locked the door?

Then again, if he _had_ locked the door that would have been suspicious behaviour, locking himself into Prime's office when he was supposedly only in there to drop off his regular reports.

The office door opened, startling him, and then he saw it was Prowl.

"Come with me." the SIC ordered flatly, heading away.

Red Alert shivered. Was he being taken to the brig? What was Prowl going to do? Following nervously, he was relieved when they did not go far and Prowl simply led him to his own office and locked the door.

"It seems there is no damage done." he said serenely, turning to face Red Alert.

"What? But... but he saw me..."

"It's unclear that he registered any of it, but in any case Jazz is handling it."

Red Alert dropped into Prowl's visitor's chair, relieved that he had avoided the worst case scenario.

"What's he going to do?"

"Probably get him drunk on bad highgrade, possibly frag him, and then while he's out hack his memory core and decide from there. Trailbreaker is showing no signs of distress, however, so this is more precautionary than necessary at this stage."

Red Alert huffed, mollified but also embarrassed that he had been the one to cause all of this.

"You trust that mech with too much." he grumbled. "Far too much."

"It is hardly my fault that you do not trust your lover sufficiently to tell him the truth." Prowl responded archly.

"We weren't supposed to tell _anyone_." Red Alert reminded him tiredly, with no real venom.

They had had this argument many times before. True, they were supposed to keep their secrets to themselves, but they were also supposed to have only been involved in all this for a few vorns at most. The petty squabbles between Prime and Lord Protector should have been simple to resolve. Instead, squabbles turned to violence and they had found themselves trapped, still trying to see their mission through with ever-lessening hope of success.

Prowl had been the first to give in and take a lover from amongst their allies. Strange, because so many of those allies saw him as completely dispassionate. Not that Red Alert liked to point that out too often: he himself had been on the point of giving in to Inferno's persistent overtures in spite of the dangers inherent in having someone be so close. But he had never told Inferno the full truth, and he dared not do so now. The fact that Prowl _had_ told Jazz, and that Jazz had simply accepted it rather than running away screaming or betraying them, was exasperating. It was not a normal response to such news.

It was, however, a very _Jazz_ response.

"Jazz knows how to keep a secret." Prowl responded calmly. "And he can certainly handle this current unpleasantness far more artfully than you or I. So, were you able to make contact?"

"Briefly. Things are not going well for them. We should ask for more help."

"We cannot." Prowl shook his head. "Our long absence will be deemed desertion. It is up to the five of us to try to guide this conflict to an amicable end."

"The original goals are no longer reasonable." Red Alert said bitterly.

Five of them had been selected to address this issue. In theory two were supposed to join each side and the fifth would attempt to mediate. But the mediator was swayed to join the Decepticons and in spite of the best efforts of the three working in that faction things had spiralled out of control. For now, they all kept doing their best, but the only way this would work is if none of the mechs figured out the truth. On the Decepticon side, when accidents happened, they simply killed the ones who saw things they shouldn't. Such was not acceptable amongst Autobots, and so far he and Prowl had managed to remain hidden and unsuspected, but now...

A warm, smooth appendage slid around Red Alert's back, squeezing comfortingly.

"All will be well. Trailbreaker saw little and in a few hours he'll doubt his own memories. We are safe."

Red Alert leaned into the touch, opening his armour to return it, and they clung together for a moment, seeking and offering the reassurance that they were not alone. Then Prowl jerked and Red Alert peered at him anxiously over the tangle of tentacles.

"What's wrong?"

Prowl's expression was difficult to read.

"Jazz just commed to say that Trailbreaker saw nothing at all."

"And?" Red Alert prompted, sensing that there should be more, given Prowl's reaction.

The senior Quintesson twitched in embarrassment.

"And said that if there was any tentacle-loving going on in here right now we'd better well wait until he could join in!"


End file.
